


Brotherly protection

by sara_teddy



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:28:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21938986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sara_teddy/pseuds/sara_teddy
Summary: Modern AU where Arthur's PTSD and other illnesses are not swept under the rug and the Shelby family actually talk about their life after war.
Relationships: Arthur Shelby/Female Original Character, Esme Shelby/John Shelby, Tommy Shelby/Alfie Solomons
Kudos: 17





	1. Have to start somewhere right?

Six months since Tommy came home from the war. Six months since he left Arthur in some strange land. Captured with little hope of returning. So when the day came that they’d found him half mutilated and nearly dead. Tommy knew things weren’t going to be the same. As soon as the plane touched down Tommy was right there. He was right there the first time Arthur woke up and had to be sedated. Then he was there the second time as well. The military base knew how close the brothers were so nobody really ever attempted to send Tommy home.

When Arthur wakes up he blinks the harsh bright lights bother his eyes. “Did they find me? Am I dead?” Arthur says with closed eyes as he tries to move only to find he can’t. Tommy had dozed off only waking when he heard the older Shelby brother’s voice. “No Arthur you ain’t dead. They found you! You back home with us now.” Arthur let out a harsh grunt “You left me to die. You came back soon as I went missing. You get out of here you!” Arthur bellows the restraints proving useless when Arthur broke them to grab his brother's neck. “You get out of here you rat bastard. You got out you never tried to find me when we got captured! You could have saved a lot more lives than just yours! You should have looked harder for the rest of the team.”

Tommy gasped it all happened so fast he was shaking when one of the nurses finally managed to get in here and remove Arthur’s hand from his neck. That night when he left he felt dejected. He returned home to Alfie with a massive bruise around his neck and tears in his eyes. Alfie notices the other was upset, Thomas Shelby wasn’t that hard to read. Alfie puts the records of the bakery down sighing, “What the hell happened Tommy?” Thomas looks up Alfie a soft sad expression upon his face, “He choked me..he blamed me for everything. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that they made him kill half our squad.”

Alfie sighs as he gets up properly grabbing his cane and hobbling over to the other, “Come here. Come on now. It ain’t your fault and neither is it his. He’s scared, Tommy. He’s bloody scared, you know how hard war changed you.” Finally, the usual steel-faced Shelby broke down in tears, “He yelled at me, Alfie! He grabbed me by the neck and yelled! That isn’t Arthur...something clearly is above not being right. What if he doesn’t recover. I get he won’t ever be the same before the war...but still. I just...how?” Tommy sighs as he tries to collect himself, Alfie taking a napkin out of his pocket and dabbed at Tommy’s face. “Come on now. Let's get you cleaned up and you and I can take a bath together.” 

Back at the hospital was a different scene Arthur refusing his medicine. Swinging at the nurses. Yet again restrained and sedated as he was pumped full of meds. He wasn’t ready to be awake his body needed time to heal. As Tommy laid in the bath Alfie had prepped for him all he could think about was his brother. Fuck things amongst the family business was to be different. Would Arthur still run the pub he did before they were shipped out? Was Polly going to be okay looking after him?

Even if he was grown Arthur for the foreseeable future couldn’t be left alone. Tommy would look into home health care tomorrow. He wouldn’t want to burden Poll who had her son and took care of Finn. Tommy really should ask Alfie if the youngest Shelby could live with them.

That was almost two months ago. They were now at a family meeting minus Arthur who was in his room sleeping with Finn. “He clearly cannot be left alone at his home.. which is why Alfie and I are planning to hire someone who lives with him at his home. The doctors still are saying that he needs help with the basics. Washing and cleaning himself making sure he takes his medicine. As we all know what his violent streaks are like.” John looks away the cut on his cheek still evident. Esme smiles softly as she says “I think that’s a great idea. But you know if it doesn’t work out he’s always welcomed to stay with us in the countryside. May do him some good ya not be in the city.”

“Esme that is quite kind of yah but you got ya kids. Arthur needs to be away from them. I know he loves yours as he does Ada’s but we don’t want anyone at risk.” Arthur was woken up due to their talking downstairs. Finn still lay there the young boy snoozing. He sat at the top of the stairs listening to his younger siblings talk about him like he was some invalid. Arthur wanted to yell wanted to scream. But Karl and the other real youngins were sleeping.

Tommy has figured the other would lurk at the top of the stairs and walked out of the living room to look at his older brother. Tommy made a slow approach to Arthur and sat next to him. “You know we want what’s best for you. We know you can handle yourself. But we want to help. Alfie and I want you to be safe to yourself too.” Tommy hold’s Arthur hands in his own. Tracing over the various scars from the war. “You know we love you right?” Arthur leans his head on Tommy’s shoulder. His younger brother was always his rock throughout the war and even now. Tommy and Alfie were the ones making sure he got to his appointments and for that he was grateful. “I was thinking what about that nurse ya been seeing? Rosie was her name? Maybe we ask her Arthur.”


	2. Sister to the rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur wants to go home... Ada maybe just the person he needs to see and talk to.

Arthur nods looking to Tommy as he lets out a soft yawn, the medicine they had the oldest Shelby on were high doses so Arthur spent a lot of his time napping or being curled up and quite. He was head of his pub but for the time being Tommy had taken over most of the duties while they sorted Arthur out. “I think… I want to go home. I want to be in my own place. How come I can’t go home yet Tommy?” The second oldest inhaled sharply as he feels Arthur’s hand grip his tightly. “I know Arthur. But we can’t let you be there by yourself. The doctor already told you this yesterday. I promise you as soon as we figure out what’s going on you can go home.” Ada had happened to walk towards the front door to grab something from her car when she saw Tommy and Arthur sitting on the stairs. “You know Karl is due for a visit with his dad out in the country. Would do him some good to see his step-siblings as well. I could stay with ya Arthur if that helps out any Tommy.” 

Arthur smiles down at Ada as she walks up the stairs placing a kiss on both of her brother’s cheeks. “I miss when we were younger and we used to do sleepovers in the living room here on Christmas…” Arthur laughs, “Oh my you would never shut up. We always wanted to duct tape your mouth.” Ada clicks her tongue as she sits on the step below where her brothers sat. Tommy looks to Ada then to Arthur, “If Ada can stay with you for a bit you can go home. But you have to promise to take your medicine for her and do what she says. She won’t have ya moping around the house.” Arthur looks to Tommy nodding wanting nothing more to sleep in his own bed and be with his own things. “We can go as soon as I message Freddie and tell him I am bringing him his son.”

Ada smiles as soon John sits next to Ada, the four older Shelby siblings sat there content John leaning back into Tommy and Ada leaning into Arthur. The four of them sat there in quite enjoying the others company. Ada was excited to spend time with Arthur as the only female sibling the boys took quite good care of Ada and now it was time to repay Arthur for all he did when she was growing up. The four of them sit in silence until Finn gets up noticing them on the stairs, “Alright ya bloody wankers can you lot move. I need to go get food.” Arthur thumps Finn’s leg as he pushes past his older siblings.” John smirking as Finn smacked his head on the way down. 

Once the youngest Shelby sibling was away from the stairs the two younger siblings John and Ada turned to face the older two siblings. “I am going to take Karl to see his father and then get some stuff from my house. Then I will come back and you and I can go to your place ya Arthur?” The eldest smiles as he kisses Ada’s cheek again and the younging smiles. Ada goes off to go collect her child and do what she promised Arthur. She didn’t want the older sibling to be kept waiting. Ada knew how much this meant to Arthur to be back in his own place and be away from Alfie and Tommy. She knew they meant well but she also knew how overbearing they could be. Ada hurried off Karl following after her as she told him about how he was going to visit his daddy and step-siblings for a few days. 

Arthur moved to go pack up his stuff, Polly wanted him with her for a few days so he’d spent his time there. That left John and Tommy on the steps and both of them nod at the other and go downstairs and outside for a smoke. “Are you sure Ada is going to be okay with Arthur Tommy?” Tommy nods, “She can handle him. She was the one after all who got him to calm down from his last episode...remember?” John nods as he lights offering Tommy his lighter who takes it. “I think it’d do them both good. Ada still a bit sad Freddie left her for that whore. He can sense it, he wouldn’t hurt a hair on that girl’s head, John. He loves her, he’d die for Ada.” Esme happened to walk out, grabbing John’s smoke and taking a hit, “Your children require your attention there love. Quit smoking ya fags and get in there. We gotta go, I need to put my feet up and relax. I got work this weekend.” John rolls his eyes as he stubs out the smoke after Esme finishes up her drag and says “We’ll see ya tomorrow then Tommy? At the bakery in the morning? Making sure Alfie’s bread has risen?” She smirks as she kisses Tommy’s cheeks who are now bright red and John can’t help but laugh, “I hope the glaze on the cinnamon buns is actually sugar.”


	3. Headed home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur heads back home but will all be good for the eldest Shelby?

Arthur had packed in like fifteen minutes and now the part he hated the most waiting for Ada to get back. He’d taken to cleaning the house which usually meant nothing actually got clean but when Polly found him in the boy’s bathroom upstairs scrubbing the grime between the tiles she laughed, “Happy to be heading home finally? You be good to ya sister ya hear?” Arthur pauses his deep grout cleaning to look up at her, “I love her. She’s the only sister I got. I ain’t fucking that shit up..” Polly gets down on her knees stopping Arthur’s hands from scrubbing she quite honestly raised these boys after their mother had passed and their father left. 

“You are stronger then you want to believe Arthur Shelby. You are going to be stronger at the end of this road then you are now. I know you and your brothers didn’t come back the same. I know and it’s rough your face shows it, lad. But we love you and that’s what I want you to remember. “ Arthur wants to break down. He wants to tell Polly everything but he can’t, he can’t burden her now. If he opens up he won’t be able to go home and all he wants is to be home. With his things.

Polly just hugs him, “It is okay to talk about it. Other then to your doctors you haven’t told us...and if you aren’t ready that is okay too. But we love you Arthur, you aren’t alone.” Arthur just smiles softly as he leans back into the touch quite content with their current position. Polly can hear Ada downstairs and says “Go on get ya stuff go home.”Arthur smiles once Polly moves and Ada can be heard coming up the stairs. Ada stops in the bathroom and says “Come on now. I bought stuff for us to make pizza for supper.” Arthur smiles pizza he hadn’t had pizza in weeks. Maybe he shoulda asked sooner but he was due to have it now and that is what mattered the most.

As the two said goodbye to Polly and Finn Arthur felt a sense of excitement. Since they’d found him in that camp in that godforsaken place. Arthur was either in the hospital or at his Aunts. So he had not been home since he had been deployed. Ada and Polly made sure the boy’s houses had stayed clean though it was mostly Arthur as Alfie was at home and so was Esme. But the girls helped out where they could make sure everything was clean. When Ada pulled up to Arthur’s lavish home he nearly gasped he’d forgotten where his estate was almost. It was weird this place didn’t feel like home anymore but he was sure that it would again once he was inside.

They settled in Ada said “Come on you mope. Come help me with the pizza.” Arthur looks to her realizing he had been curled up in a corner of the living area staring outside to the pool. Arthur turns himself around as he gets up and heads into the kitchen. He smiles as Ada has made herself right at home which isn’t really surprising as this is what she does. She nestles her way into their daily routines until whatever is wrong fixes itself. So that’s what she was doing here and Arthur was thankful for that. 

The duo happily made their pizza laughing as their usual antics came back into play. Arthur dabbed a little bit of the sauce on Ada’s nose who then in return threw cheese at Arthur. The two of them spent more time laughing and giggling like school children then making food. It reminded Arthur of better times. Finally, they stopped throwing food at each other so they could put it on the pizza and into the oven. Once that was in the oven Ada smiled, “You feeling better now that you're at home?”


	4. Rosie comes in like a lion and doesn't leave like a lamb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Rosie...Arthurs crush and part time girlfriend who isn't his girlfriend.

Arthur looks to her, unsure if he knows how to respond, but he knows what he wants to say. “Yeah. I just hope this lasts longer than these lows have been. I just don’t want to hurt anyone. Not you, Polly, Tommy...nobody. I just worry. What happens if I lose control? What happens if I hurt you, Ada?” Ada tuts as she walks over to her brother peppering his cheek with kisses, “I don’t care Arthur. You are my brother. As long as you are happy that is what I care about.” Arthur looks at her skeptically he knows that she means well but he’s just so nervous. Taking a deep breath, he smiled before exhaling. 

He’s thankful for Ada and all those who have gotten him to where he is now. He smiles as he goes to say something but Ada shushes him, “Arthur you are healing and it's okay. We aren’t going to hold your issues against ya. Tommy and I and the others just want ya to be happy! You really should call Rosie and let her know that you're home and safe. She kept asking about you daily you know? She’d come to the pub when Tommy got back nearly every single day and asked him the same things over and over. She was so irate when they wouldn’t let her even go into the wing you were at in the hospital you know. They kept her away from ya for both of yas safety. Give her a call. Let her know your okay.”Arthur nods and goes off to his study to call Rosie. The nurse was just entering her home from a long double. She let down her blonde hair and sighed toeing off her shoes she took her scrubs off and tossed them into the laundry basked that laid there from two days ago when she meant to start her laundry. 

As she was getting her stuff for a shower the women’s phone rang. Hearing who it was her heart started racing. Quickly picking it up she smiles “Hello Arthur thanks for fucking calling me.” Arthur cannot help but laugh as he says “Sorry love bug. Finally felt okay to call. Ada is staying with me for a bit to get me settled back in I would love to see you soon.” Rosie hearts swells again and says “Would you like some more company? I just got in from a shift and I need to shower but I would love to see you.” Arthur had a sly grin on his face. “Yeah I would like that a lot.” Ads had been lurking near the crack in his office study. Ada could make herself hidden so her brother could have fun. He deserved it honestly, “You still have my stuff there or do I need to bring it?” Arthur quickly opens a draw and smiles. “Nah it’s all here. Don’t need to bring anything but yourself..”

Rosie smiles sweetly as she says “Alright I will be there in thirty minutes. Gotta put my best face and do something with this damn hair.” Arthur laughs for a suddenly booty call she was always so concerned with wh how she looked. Arthur didn’t mind as she said her goodbyes and hung up he got up stretching a bit as he looked around smiling. “Ada Rosie is gonna come spend the night.” Ada smiles and says “I won’t make a peep. Promise I will be the good younger sister you’ve always wanted so her darling brother can get laid.” Arthur cannot help but throw a paper at her that lands at her feet but she lets out a fake squeal anyways. 

Arthur went into the living room to wait for Rosie and Ada went off to the kitchen and grabbed the pizza. She was cutting it up when Rosie entered the house. “Arthur!” The woman smiles as she wraps her arms around Arthur kisses peppering his face. She’s so happy that he’s well and alive. Ada pops her head out smiling, “Arthur! Rosie pizza’s done come get some.” Arthur looks to Rosie and smiles as he takes her hand. Ada smiles as she hands them both a plate and says “I am gonna go to the pub and see my brothers. I will be back later. You two have fun and don’t forget you must put a condom on.” Ada smiles and kisses Arthurs cheek before heading out the door and into her car.


End file.
